Practical views of arttherapies: a picture as a communication bridge between a person and environment.

Aim: Self-image as part of communication through the design technique of drawing a tree as a way of monitoring the process of aid effectiveness with art has not yet been used and represents the synthesis of artistic speech and therapeutic assistance. The purpose of the case study is to strengthen the communication skills of one person in social welfare institution by using artistic creation and empowerment in interpersonal contact. Metods: The answer to the research question, namely whether the artistic creation of a bridge in the communication process, was achieved in a series of therapeutic meetings. A qualitative action survey was used, the topics of the meetings were designed and, if necessary, adjusted to the desires of one person with mental disorders. All the necessary artwork and materials for work were individualized and ready, meetings were documented and the contents subjected to a later analysis.The person with developmental impairment was the main interpreter of and commentator on her own artistic works, while the pictures served as the means to directly monitor, log, analyse, and understand the changes in the communication channel and her consequent empowerment. Results: The research confirmed a positive change in the communication channel with the help of creativity. Using artistic language, the subject was able to release the flow of her own verbal communication. An important indicator of progress was when she passed from progressive non-verbal communication to verbal communication, which became filled with emotional expressions and figurative images which showed she feels accepted and safe. The person proposed topics for further meetings, and over time she became less reactive to external factors. Discussion and conclusion: The research offers new possibilities for the application and implementation of art therapy in the individual support of a person in an institution. I was unable to find any similar research in Slovenia, so my study offers the first useful concept to be effectively introduced to support and empower the residents of the institution. For practical reasons the original focus of the design of this Master's thesis was the derivation and the description of the model that I have developed, coherent with the study of foreign literature and practical work with the residents of the institution